


you made flowers grow in my lungs

by whispersbrave



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, zayn/eleanor friendship, zayn/louis friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-26
Updated: 2015-07-26
Packaged: 2018-04-11 06:11:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4424387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whispersbrave/pseuds/whispersbrave
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn loves being alone. It’s his need to get away from things when they get a bit too much that leads him to a cat that he loves way too much for it to not be his, and Liam who makes him feel things that he has never felt before. </p>
<p>featuring eleanor and louis as zayn’s best friends, tiger as zayn’s pet cat that isn’t actually his pet cat, and liam as the wonderful human that he is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	you made flowers grow in my lungs

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by mashallahmangoes‘s love for lonely!zayn talking to animals, this fic (like everything i do) is for zayniejavadd for being amazing, and fantastic and incredibly supportive of the rampant ranting at 4 am, and for zayniepaynie who’s lovely words made me blush and motivate me to finish it. This fic is honestly like a child to me, and it takes a village to raise one, and without Bushra and Allison this fic would have not come to fruition - so thank you, lovelies. and camilancabello, for being the cutest ball of fluff. 
> 
> this fic is my baby, i’ve always hoped to write something more than 5k, and today i’ve accomplished this. i’m extremely proud of myself, and i hope you all enjoy reading this as much as i loved writing it. 
> 
> disclaimer: it’s not beta’ed, and as much of a perfectionist i am, i am just as lazy too. ignore the messiness, if found. also, the manips (black and white pictures aren’t mine, but i couldn’t find the source. if it’s you, please let me know so i can credit you properly. 
> 
> also, the title comes from an angsty quote i came across on tumblr when i first started writing this, but i made it in to something not angsty.

It’s not that he doesn’t have friends, he does. He has his childhood mates from Bradford - Danny and Anthony, he has his high school best friend - Louis, he has his university best friend - Eleanor, he has his work buddy - Harry. So he is not a loner, as per say. He is quite shy and reserved. He is quite the introvert, actually. Even as a child, he would lock himself up in his room when there were too many people downstairs. Even as an adult, he does the same thing. When he is upset, stressed and annoyed, he rather have time to himself alone than sit with people and try to be civil when all he wants to do is scream.

He is not a people person. But, he is an animal person. And usually when he’s upset, he finds himself walking to the pet shop without any conscious decision to actually go there.

It is a small pet shop, a fifteen minute walk away from his home, in an area he doesn’t frequent much because of the lack of things that interest him. But, the first time he had stumbled across it was after a fight with his father – a stupid fight that he can’t remember the cause of anymore. He just wanted to get away, and not be found. After a couple of years of knowing Zayn inside out, Eleanor (and Louis) had figured all of his hiding spots out. He needed new ones, and so he had walked in a different direction than before, just to find himself looking inside the pet shop from the window. It took him an all of five seconds to decide to go in, and play with the animals. There is something calming about the furry little creatures that stay locked up in pens. When Zayn steps in, most of them come rushing to him, tangling themselves in his feet and making him laugh - his worries long forgotten.

Today is no different.

The bell above the door chimes when he pushes it open, and Liam, the care taker of the pets and the son of the owner, looks up from the desk with a knowing look on his face. Zayn gives him a small shrug and Liam throws him the keys to the kitten pens. It’s not allowed, for people to go in and to play with the animals, if they don’t plan on buying them. The animals get attached to the affection, and get upset when they don’t get taken. But Zayn always comes back, and the animals are the happiest the Paynes have ever seen them. So they have an agreement, Zayn and the Paynes. Catching the keys, Zayn throws a grateful smile to Liam before making his way to the animals.

Today, Zayn thinks, is a cat day as he pushes the key in the lock and turns it. “Hey beauties,” Zayn smiles at the litter of meowing kittens, who have collected at his feet. “Are you glad I’m back?” Zayn’s voice is a bit higher than it originally is as he looks at the little kittens jumping and using their paws to claw at Zayn’s legs. He slides down on to the floor, giving the kittens more access to his body as they jump on his stomach, and his legs, and wrap themselves around his arms.

He shouldn’t name them, but he does. Sasha is the one playing with his fingers, pouncing at it every time he lefts it up. Sabrina is lying on his tummy, snuggled in to his red shirt, warm and comfortable, fast asleep. Banner, named after Bruce Banner aka The Hulk aka Zayn’s favourite superhero, is sitting on his chest, pawing his face. It should be annoying but it isn’t. There are many more, there is Loki, Tom, Natasha, Thor, Tony, Claire. And he loves them all he does, but the moody little one of the bunch Tiger would be his favourite.

“Tiger?” Zayn calls, the cat would never come up to him on his own, Zayn has to call him out. He’s a shy one, but extremely friendly with Zayn. “Tiger, come here,” he cranes his neck to look for the cat, and he chuckles when he sees the cat sitting on the far end of the pen, licking and cleaning himself out like the royal cat that he is. “Come on, Tiger. Come here,” Zayn says. Tiger turns to face Zayn, but doesn’t make a movement. “Hey, I thought we were friends, you,” Zayn laughs as he picks up the other kittens of his body, and places them on the floor, a sorry on his lips, and makes his way to Tiger. The other cats follow him, not done with him yet. Smiling to himself, when he sits down in front of Tiger, he holds out his hands, and strokes Tiger’s forehead.

“Are you upset with me too, hm, Tiger,” Zayn asks, as he picks Tiger up who doesn’t make any movement of moving away from Zayn. He takes that as a win, and smiles when Tiger adjusts himself on his arm and his chest making himself comfortable on Zayn. “I missed you, buddy,” Zayn says, his finger poking his nose, and Tiger opens his mouth and tries to take it in his mouth. “Did you miss me?”

Tiger pokes his tongue out, instead.

“I’m going to fail my art course, Tiger,” Zayn says, softly. Zayn exudes confidence, but he isn’t all that confident. He has a plethora of flaws, which he tries to take charge of so people can’t use it against him. But he’s still so insecure about certain things, like his art. His art is so important to him, knowing that there is a possibility that his professor wouldn’t like his portfolio, that she might reject it, has been eating up at him from the inside. He would never tell that to anyone, even Eleanor or Louis. His insecurities aren’t meant for anyone to know.

The cat purrs in his arm, and holds out his paw, pressing it against Zayn’s chest. It’s oddly comforting. “If I fail the art course, I won’t be able to graduate. All the money mum and dad paid would be for nothing. They’re already so upset that I lost my scholarship,” Zayn sighs. “I don’t know what to do, Tiger. I can’t fail it. Mum said it would be alright, but it won’t. If I fail, I can’t do anything with my life. I won’t be able to give mum and dad the life they deserve, give them what they refused to take for themselves for our sake. I don’t want their sacrifices be for nothing,” a tear rolls off his cheek.

Only Zayn and Doniya are aware of the sacrifices their parents have made for them, so that they could have the life that they desired; so that they won’t have a single complaint about life. It’s better now, but there were weeks when he was a child that he won’t see his father, because he would go off to work before Zayn would wake up and come back hours after Zayn was asleep. He would pick up exhausting shifts at the hospital, trying to make ends meet, and still come home with a smile on his face for his kids a chocolate in hand for his four children. A motivating quote pressed against their foreheads wrapped up in a kiss when Yaser would tuck Zayn in bed on the few nights he was home in time. A day of celebration, for young Zayn. While his father picked up shifts, his mum signed up to cater more events than she alone could manage, and it brought tears to his eyes seeing his mum work as hard she did. His mum was a queen in his eyes, with warm eyes and loving smile, and she deserved to be treated like one.

He wasn’t poor.

He didn’t have a deprived childhood.

His parents worked harder than they should have so their kids could be the best versions of them. His parents, exhausted and tired, would make sure to spend time with each of the kids.

He loved his parents for doing what they did. He may fight with them, time and time again, but he has no hate in his heart for the two people who made sure he was able to live his dream.

“Zayn,” he hears Liam’s voice before a warm hand is placed on his shoulders. “Are you alright, mate?” Liam asks as Zayn hurriedly wipes away his tears from his cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” Zayn replies, his voice a little hoarse, looking down at Tiger who is looking up at him with worried eyes. It’s amazing, how close he is to this little kitten. This kitten who is worried about him, and he isn’t even his.

“Don’t apologise,” Liam shushes him, softly. “Come on, I’ll make you some tea upstairs. I’ve heard it helps a bad day,” the smile that envelopes Liam’s face is warm and sunny and comforting; and this is probably the fifth time Zayn is speaking to Liam

“No, it’s fine,” Zayn says, “I’ll just head home.” He presses the tip of his finger against Tiger’s cheek, before getting off the floor.

“No,” Liam’s hand is back on his shoulder. “You’re obviously upset, Zayn. You can’t leave. Let me make you some tea and give you some biscuits,” Liam pauses, “it’s the least I can do. Please.”

Zayn looks at Liam’s wide eyes, and the hope twinkling in them. He takes a deep breath, “sure, yeah why not.” Zayn walks out the pen, locking it behind him so the kittens won’t be able to walk through the open door, and looks up at Liam who is smiling at him - with a fond look - and hands him the keys.

“You know, Tiger is actually an angel with you but otherwise he’s quite the pain in the ass,” Liam says, when he sees Tiger following Zayn from inside the pen.

“Really? He’s moody, but I didn’t think he was a pain,” Zayn whispers, his eyes following the cat who’s looking at Zayn with betrayed eyes.

“Only yesterday, or the day before, we had this woman who came in to adopt him. But he wouldn’t let her touch him. He wouldn’t even come to me so I could show him off to the woman. But the second she got annoyed and left, he jumped in to my arms,” Liam chuckles. “I’m a 100% sure he doesn’t want anyone but you to take him home.”

Zayn laughs, Tiger would do that. “I wish I could take him with me. But the flat I live in, I’m not allowed to have animals.”

“He’s going to be right here for you, by the looks of it,” Liam smiles as he pushes the door open behind the reception desk to reveal a staircase.

“So you live alone upstairs?” Zayn asks as he walks up the steps.

“Yeah. Somebody has to be here for the animals. So, I have a small little apartment up here. When I need to sleep without the barks and meowing and noises I just go and sleep over at Mum’s.”

“Sick,” Zayn grins as Liam pushes open another door at the top of the staircase. It’s a small apartment; it’s quite obvious with how the things are so close to each other. The door opens in to the living room with a large sofa against one wall and a television against the other, there is a table in the middle with a laptop, a used cup of coffee and a breakfast plate sitting on top. Right ahead is the kitchen, and on the left is a hallway leading in to the open bedroom.

“It’s not much, and I don’t usually have people over up here,” Liam says as he rushes around to pick up his clothes that are on the sofa, and throws them over his shoulder before picking up his plate and mug. “I’m extremely messy, can you tell?”

Zayn laughs, “it’s fine, Liam. You don’t even have to clean up for me.”

“Nah, I can’t have guests over and make them sit in a mess,” Liam pauses and turns to Zayn, “I have a dog. He’s somewhere here, but he’s extremely affectionate. Just a warning. He will lick your face if he has the chance. I know you love animals, but,” Liam shrugs as he walks to his room, throws his clothes in from the door, and comes back. “He’s something.”

“It’s fine, you know I love animals,” Zayn smiles.

“Especially Tiger?” Liam winks – or at least he tries to, but fails miserably when both of his eyes blink together instead. Zayn tries to hold back a chuckle. Liam is way too adorable.

“Especially Tiger.”

Liam laughs, “sit, I’ll get you tea. How do you take it?”

“Black, no sugar,” Zayn says, “you don’t like how I take my tea?” Zayn asks when Liam’s face contorts in a look of distaste.

“It’s black, and no sugar. That’s like a recipe of hell,” Liam exclaims.

“Not you too,” Zayn groans, “you all who drink tea with milk ruin the tea. Drink milk instead, don’t corrupt a pure thing like tea.”

Liam is just looking at Zayn with offended eyes, “I don’t believe you. Black tea is like drinking gross flavoured water.”

“Tea with milk is gross, Liam, not black.”

“You’re on a ban from ever entering my pet shop again,” Liam exclaims.

“You can’t do that!” Zayn fakes a shocked look on his face. He doesn’t know Liam that well but he knows him well enough to know that he won’t ban him from the shops. Liam loves his animals too much; and he is very much aware of how most of them love Zayn. Especially Tiger, and he is already a pain to manage on days when Zayn doesn’t come by, Liam is probably going to have a tough time looking after him if Zayn never comes back. 

“You drink black tea,” Liam states, a blank look on his face, as he puts Zayn’s cup in front of him. “Who drinks black tea?”

 “I will have you know,” Zayn picks up his cup and takes a good, long sip while Liam watches with his nose scrunched up and his eyebrow furrowed in to disgust, “black tea is the best,” Zayn says as he puts the cup back down and looks up at Liam through hooded eyes.

 “I’m-” Liam shakes his head, “even the most perfect people have their flaws,” is what Liam says, except is really low and Zayn isn’t sure but he just gives Liam a toothy smile before he starts drinking his tea again. It’s about half an hour later that Liam suggests them watching a movie, “I have Captain America 2, and since Age of Ultron is about to come out, shall we watch that?”

 “Yes! Oh God, I can’t wait for Age of Ultron. It’s coming the day after my exam and I’m trying to convince Eleanor to come with me but she has some work stuff to do, so I’m just going to go watch it by myself.” 

“Yeah, even my mates aren’t too big on Marvel and DC movies. It’s for children they say,” Liam laughs.

 “It’s not, though. That’s the beauty of it,” Zayn replies. There is a moment of silence before, “uh, Liam?” Liam hums in reply as he sets up the TV and the movie, “if you want, we can go…. together?” 

“You’d like that?” Liam asks, turning his head so quickly to face Zayn. 

“I’d love that,” Zayn answers, and he really would. 

The next morning Zayn wakes up in a bed, in a room, that is not his. With a grey husky sleeping on the floor next to him. It’s a cute dog, his little body moving up and down with his breaths, but it’s not his. It’s Liam’s dog. He is in Liam’s apartment above the pet shop. And, he has overstayed his welcome. He pushes himself off the bed, and carefully makes his way out of the room, making sure the dog isn’t disturbed.

His house keys and phone and wallet aren’t in his pocket, and he’s sort of confused as to where he left them all until “they’re on the kitchen counter” sounds the quiet the walls of the house. 

“Did I wake you?” Zayn asks, his voice barely a whisper when he sees Liam curled under blankets on the sofa.

“No. Haven’t slept, this sofa is too uncomfortable to sleep on,” Liam mutters. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Liam. Why didn’t you kick me out?” Zayn exclaims, quilt taking over him.

“Don’t feel bad, Zayn,” Liam says as he sits up on the sofa, cracking his back. Zayn gets a little distracted because Liam is shirtless, and Zayn always knew that Liam had a defined and good body, but seeing it shirtless is like seeing Robert Downey Jr. It’s fucking amazing. It’s so toned, and so perfect. Light brown hair running down his chest, and under his sweats - and fuck, no Zayn isn’t going to think about that.

“You were the guest.” 

“Yeah, but -” 

“No buts Zayn. I’m glad you stayed over,” Liam smiles, “maybe next time, if you stay over, we can share the bed, though.” 

Zayn lets out an awkward chuckle, “sure.” 

“Here,” Liam says as he gives Zayn his wallet and keys. “I hope whatever is troubling you, Zayn, will work it out.” 

“Thanks,” there is a small smile on his face when he says that, “I hope it does too.” 

With how close Liam's face is to Zayn's, and how his lips so extremely kissable, it's not exactly Zayn's fault when he leans forward and presses his lips against Liam's. It's all Liam's fault for looking up at Zayn with pouty, soft, red lips. It's lust, and attraction, nothing more and Zayn pulls back before it can be something else. He shouldn't have done that, he thinks to himself as he licks his lips, and looks at Liam who is touching his lips sporting a dazed look on his face. 

He shouldn't have done that, but he's so glad that he did. 

There is an awkward silence following Zayn's mumbled "sorry," before Liam can reply, Zayn is leaving the house with a hurried goodbye. And, if he stops to see Tiger, before he leaves, Liam doesn’t have to know. 

 

 

 

His apartment is quiet when he gets home, which is a good indicator of the fact that either Louis is asleep or he’s not home. If Louis was home, his shoes would be next to the door – because Lou is incapable of keeping things neat – and the lack of mess near the door can only mean one thing. Louis isn’t home. He hasn’t been home during the nights ever since Eleanor and him broke up. He’s been going out too much, partying too much – his childhood friends from Doncaster came up to London, and now Louis has transformed in to this complete party boy. Zayn needs to have a talk with him, he’s aware of it. He’s worried about his mate; Louis always joked about how if Eleanor ever dumped him, he’d never be the same again. Zayn is a little worried that Louis’ predictions are coming true because ever since their fight, a pretty loud and ugly fight, Louis hasn’t been the same.

Sighing to himself, Zayn drops his keys and his wallet on the table. He walks towards the kitchen to fix himself a plate of breakfast when he hears light footsteps coming down the hall; and he turns around in confusion. “El?” his face scrunches up in confusion when he sees his best friend. “What are you doing here?” he questions, when Eleanor takes place on the stool under the kitchen counter. “Did you and Lou?” 

“No,” Eleanor says, her voice a little dry. “I came over to meet you, but you weren’t home, and Louis was about to leave,” she pauses. “Z?” 

“Yeah?”

“Is Lou okay?”

“El,” Zayn says, his voice soft. 

“I know I don’t have the right to ask. We aren’t together, and you are his friend just as you’re mine. But, I’m worried. Do I have the right to be worried?” Eleanor asks.. 

“Of course, you do. It’s just, I don’t know myself. He hasn’t spoken to me properly. Only asks me if I want to smoke, and yeah, he’s a mess. But, it’s not your fault okay. So, don’t blame yourself. He just needs time to readjust to life, yeah?” 

“Mhm,” Eleanor hums as she rests her head on the countertop. Zayn reaches out and ruffles her messy curls on her head, before he gets off his chair to prepare his and, now, Eleanor’s breakfast. 

“Where were you, by the way?” Eleanor asks a couple of minutes later when Zayn is mixing the ingredients for their omelets. “You weren’t here when I came, and you were out all night.” 

“I was at a friend’s,” Zayn shrugs, as he pours the mixture in the pan. 

“A friend,” Eleanor perks up. “Are you a boyfriend hidden away from me, Malik?” 

Taken aback, Zayn almost drops his bowl, “A friend, Calder. Where did you hear the word boyfriend in that.”

“Uh, you were out all night, so either you pulled a guy or you have a guy,” Eleanor waggles her eyebrows. “Did you finally get your shit together.”

“I fell asleep at his house after watching a movie, El. There’s nothing more to that,” Zayn states, finality lacing his words. 

“Sure,” Eleanor giggles. “I know you, Malik. I know you better than yourself.”

“You really don’t, El,” Zayn replies, as he takes the omelet out of the pan and on to the plate. “Eat,” He says as he puts the plate in front of Eleanor. 

  


They’re watching a rom-com, with a guy that Eleanor finds to be “so fucking hot, Zayn, he’s beautiful” but Zayn disagrees. He won’t tell Eleanor that much because she would make him watch all of the actor’s movie until Zayn agrees – he’s speaking from experience, and he doesn’t want to repeat it again. After all, one makes mistakes to learn from them. It’s a funny movie, but its generic, and Zayn finds himself being bored fifteen minutes in to the movie and so he resorts to scrolling through his phone instead. 

The first application he opens is Instagram, an orange notification staring up at him. 

**fakeliampayne** followed you – and Zayn smiles to himself, as he follows Liam back. He fails to resist the temptation to go through his page. It isn’t like he is being creepy, Liam followed him first after all – and he hasn’t posted anything on his Instagram in 32 weeks. So technically it’s Liam who is being creepy – not that Zayn minds. Liam’s Instagram is cute, Zayn thinks. It has posts of random things, videos of his friends, selfies, and there is also a picture of Liam with Louis.

Zayn’s Louis. 

He makes a mental note to ask Louis how he knows Liam when he gets to finally have a talk with Louis. 

“What are you looking at,” Eleanor asks and Zayn quickly locks his phone mumbling a ‘nothing’.  “You are hiding something, you prick,” Eleanor exclaims, as she tries to take Zayn’s phone from his hands. 

“I’m not, Eleanor. I was on Instagram. What would I hide from you on Instagram,” Zayn rolls his eyes, fondly. 

“A cute boy,” Eleanor shrugs and when Zayn doesn’t reply, “fuck, it’s a cute boy, isn’t it? You’re hiding a cute boy from me,” she states. 

“Yeah, well.”

“And I thought we were closer friends than that, Malik. You don’t hide a cute boy from your best girl friend. Especially, a cute boy you are interested in.”

“He’s straight, though,” Zayn shrugs. There were a couple of pictures of a beautiful girl and Liam, and one of them was captioned i must be the luckiest man in the world;  and another was captioned Me and the most beautiful girl in the world :); so it is safe for Zayn to assume that he was dating her. “He’s dating another girl.”

“Oh, well he’s the one at a loss. You’re a catch. If you dated girls, I’d date you,” her nose scrunches up, “actually, that’s disgusting. I wouldn’t date you. You’re like my brother. Why the fuck did I say that?”

Zayn throws his head back and laughs with his nose scrunched and his eyes crinkling by the ends. 

 

  


 

Zayn does remember the conversation he had with Liam about going to watch Age of Ultron with him. But Liam doesn't bring it up in conversations they have - they exchanged numbers on Instagram, how modern of them - and they have a lot of conversations. Zayn doesn't think they've ever stopped talking since they started those days ago, every time he unlocks his phone he has a text from Liam, or a snap from Liam, or a tweet from Liam. It's cute, how dependent the two of them are on each other. Eleanor calls it sexual tension, Louis calls it puppy love, Harry calls it soulmate love, Zayn tells all of them to shut up. 

There is a reason he prefers the company of animals over his mates. The animals aren't annoying, much like the three of them can be. 

Another reason is that the four of them know each other inside out, and Zayn couldn't even lie to them. They'd just catch on, and make everything worse. 

He doesn't bring up their 'date' and neither does Liam, and Zayn thinks it's for the better. He's swamped with uni work, and his job at the small cafe around the corner, and he's trying to save money for his younger sister's tuition so his parents don't have to stress out about it once she starts university. He just wants to make things easier for his parents, and for himself, but he can only do so for one at one time and it's making him frustrated. And frustrated is not something he wants to be with Liam. 

If he gets to be with Liam, that is. He still stands by the fact that Liam has a girlfriend, if his Facebook and Instagram pictures are anything to go by. Even though, Louis has told him that Liam, who is his buddy from his small internship at the local record label, is actually bisexual and the girl in the pictures is his best friend. 

Zayn, a bit childishly, refuses to believe that because it's just going to give him that bit of hope - maybe he could be with Liam, maybe he actually has a chance - but Zayn is very much aware of what they say about hope. 

And honestly, he doesn't mind going by himself. He never understood the idea behind why there was such a negative connotation to going to the movies alone. All one does is sit in silence and watch a movie on the screen occasionally popping in popcorn and sipping on a Coca-Cola. So yeah, he doesn't mind, he actually prefers it. But he would love to go with Liam. 

 

He's in a pair of sweatpants, his hair pulled back from his face in a top knot, his fingers messy with paint for the first time in weeks now that he's done with his finals, when he hears his phone ring. Usually, when he's painting he lets his phone ring and go to voicemail - and then after he's done with his painting, and a shower later, he'd get back to whoever it was. Except this time. 

He has a special ring tones for his friends and family. So he can ignore his friends when needed, but he always wants to be there for his family - no matter how alone he needs to be. For him, his family comes first. 

It's a weekday, and his father is always at work so he never calls Zayn until the weekend, and father and son then bond over football games (something, Zayn would only watch for his father) and Yaser would ask about his week, his classes, his art. He only calls on a weekday, when needs be. 

So he's hurriedly wiping his paint-tainted fingers on a towel and getting from his stool, grabbing his phone from his desk. "Baba, is everything okay?" is the first thing Zayn says, as soon as he accepts his call. It's followed by Yaser scolding Zayn, fondly though, for not starting the conversation with a blessing as he's been taught since he was a child. 

"Sorry, Baba," Zayn chuckles, "I got worried." 

"Stop being worried all the time, my son. It's not your duty to be worried about us," Yaser's voice is soft.

"It actually is, Baba," Zayn says, teasingly, "you're my Dad, if I don't worry about you, who will?" 

"Your mother," Yaser laughs, "she's worse than you. Ever since we had that doctor's visit, she's monitoring everything I eat. She stopped making her samosas," Zayn can imagine the disappointment on his father's face. If there is one thing Yaser Malik loves more than his children, it's his wife's samosas. 

"That's good, Baba. You shouldn't have samosas, they're bad for your cholesterol," Zayn replies. 

"I've had your mum's samosas for thirty years, if they had to kill me, they would have," Yaser sighs. "But, I called to ask you what your graduation plans were?"

"My plans?" Zayn asks, "nothing." His graduating is completely dependent on his art portfolio which he turned in a couple of days ago, and it could be rejected and if it gets rejected he isn't graduating. 

"Trisha was thinking of coming up to London to your ceremony," Yaser says. 

"Baba, no. You don't have to," it would push the budgets, and as much as Zayn would love for his family to be there; that is if he finally graduates; he doesn't want his parents to spend so much money on him for one night. 

"Oh, shush, you. We are coming up. I wouldn't want to miss it for the world, yeah? You can't convince me not to, Zayn. Stop worrying about everything, son. It's my job to worry about you, not yours to worry about me. Email me the details about everything, okay?" 

"Okay, Baba." 

"Son, you're wonderful. Don't ever think of yourself as less than what you are," Zayn feels like a five year old child again, tucked under his father's arms and curled against his body, the television playing softly. 

"Yes, Baba." 

"Love you, son." 

"You too." 

 

He spends all day doing nothing, after that. He checks his online portal to see if his portfolio has been accepted but only a green bar with a submitted staring up at him. It just makes him angry, and annoyed, and worried instead. 

There is a lot riding on this silly little project of his. 

And if his phone wasn't so expensive, he'd probably throw it against the wall out of frustration. But instead he calmly shuts the browser, instead and opens Instagram. 

 

He's sort of an Instagram addict. Especially since he followed Liam. He hasn't uploaded a selfie, since Zayn has been following him, but his selfies are incredibly cute. The captions are even cuter, always. 

He refreshes his page, and waits for all the pictures to load before browsing through it; and the third post that he sees is a picture of Liam. In bed. He's shirtless, perhaps naked - and nope, Zayn isn't going to think about that, right now. It was uploaded last night, captioned "nightie night" and a series of a sleepy emoji following. 

Zayn doesn't even think twice about it as he double taps it. It's an incredibly cute picture, Liam's eyes tired and sleepy, his bottom lip just slightly pouted. He looks exhausted, and yet so adorable.  Zayn should probably not associate 'adorable' with a grown incredibly fit twenty one year old man, but Liam is honestly the most adorable person Zayn has ever met. 

And, Zayn is friends with one Harry Styles. 

 

 

He has his hands full of take out bags from the small Desi restaurant owned by one Pakistani couple. He was half tempted to reheat the cold margarita pizza in their fridge, and he was honestly planning on doing that, except while watching a rerun of Empire on television, he had this sudden craving for chicken Qorma. Once the show had finished, he had walked to the restaurant ordered some chicken Qorma and naan, gotten some chilled coke to drink. It’s a perfect night, he has soft music in his ears, hot and spicy chicken for dinner, and hopefully by tomorrow morning he will get an email saying his portfolio has been accepted – and then, he can finally begin preparing for his graduation.

It’s mostly because his music is soft, that he can hear faint sounds of somebody calling his name over and over again. Since he has his hands occupied with bags, he can’t really take his earphones out so he just turns around to see Liam walking towards him, his dog on a leash, a sunny smile on his face. He can see Liam’s lips move, but he can’t hear exactly what Liam is saying and he’s just staring at Liam helplessly for about thirty seconds before Liam is laughing, his eyes crinkling at the sides, and he’s reaching out to take Zayn’s earphones out.

“Sorry,” Zayn says while Liam puts the earphones around Zayn’s neck so they’re not coming in his way while he’s walking. “What’s up?”

“Nothing,” Liam smiles, “I was walking Loki here, and saw you, and figured you’d like some company,” he pauses, “if not, I can leave.”

Zayn chuckles, because when would he not want Liam’s company. He always wants Liam’s company, “nah, would love it,” Zayn says as he bumps his shoulders with Liam’s. “Would you like to come over? I have chicken qorma that can feed two people, quite easily.”

“If you don’t mind, though,” Liam says, his eyebrows coming together, “don’t want you to think you’re obligated to feed me, since I came to you.”

“ _Leeyum_ ,” Zayn drags his name out, “I never do anything I don’t want to do. And, I always want to spend time with you.”

“Always?” Liam grins.

“You could say that,” Zayn smiles, “come on, then.”

They walk in comfortable silence, an occasional conversation shared between them as they go down to Zayn’s flat with Loki running ahead of them and sometimes between their feet. It feels quite domesticated to Zayn, but he doesn’t want to say anything and ruin it. Liam talks about his university, and how he still has one year left. He asks about Zayn’s plans after graduation – and there is this comforting aura about Liam, that makes Zayn want to tell him about how his project might be rejected, and how he’s applied for a job as a designer for a graphic design company but he hasn’t heard back yet – soon though, Zayn has high hopes – but he doesn’t, and instead just shrugs. Liam nods in understanding. Sometimes, in all the conversations Zayn has had with Liam, it feels like Liam understands him better, he asks questions but never pushes for answers, which is something Zayn needs. Liam talks about how he found Loki, as an injured stray, and he took him in, got him the best treatments that he could afford, taking money out of his savings and pushing his dream trip to Australia further, but he has no regrets – “ _he is a phenomenal puppy, you know? so friendly, so affectionate, and he is literally a savior for me. found him right around the time i lost a friend. loki saved my life”_.

“I’m sorry,” Zayn starts.

“Me too, wish I’d done something more to save him,” Liam’s voice is small, and Zayn honestly feels like shit for making Liam think about him.

“I’m sure you did all you could, yeah?”

“I tried my best,” Liam nods, and he is roughly wiping his tears away from his eyes. “Sorry, I brought it up, shouldn’t have. It ruined the mood.”

“No, Li. Don’t apologize. He was obviously very important to you, and I’d like to know more about him one day, yeah?” Zayn says as he holds the two bags in one hand, and reaches out to wipe the tears from Liam’s eyes with the other. “You shouldn’t have to apologize about anything when you’re with me, Li, especially about your friend.”

Liam looks up and gives Zayn a watery smile, and Zayn returns it with a smile of his own.

When they enter his apartment, Zayn looks around at the mess with an extremely grossed out look on his face – of course he would bring Liam over without even remembering the mess he had left behind. “Sorry about that. It’s a bachelor pad, what can you expect,” Zayn lets out a nervous chuckle.

“Exactly this, actually,” Liam laughs, as he bends down to take Loki of the leash so he can walk around the house freely.

“Go on sit in the lounge, I’ll unpack this and bring this for you,” Zayn says as he throws a look at the packet of food on the table. “Make yourself at home, Li.”

Instead of going in to the lounge as Zayn had suggested, Liam is following him in to the kitchen, and when Zayn arches his eyebrows questioning him, he just shrugs, “make yourself at home, you said, didn’t you? So I’m going to help you out.” And again, Zayn feels extremely domestic with Liam walking around his kitchen asking him where his plates are, and then rinsing them while Zayn pours the qorma out of the bag and into a bowl. They’re walking around each other, their hands touching the other gently when they pass by, shy and small smiles exchanged as they get everything ready.

And yeah, Zayn can see himself doing that with Liam, as boyfriends.

They take their food in to the living room, Zayn balancing a bowl and a bottle of coke and Liam carrying the plates, the naan and the glasses. They settle on to the floor, Fast and Furious 6 playing on the television in tribute to Paul Walker but neither of them pay attention to it as they talk instead. There is a comforting warmth emitting from Liam, and even though this is Zayn’s apartment he’s never felt so at home. There is a spot of qorma above Liam’s lips, and Zayn automatically reaches out with his little finger to wipe it off – even though Liam looks extremely endearing because he is an extremely messy eater.

“Sorry,” Liam blushes as he grabs a tissue from the table and wipes around his mouth. “Not used to eating this, even though its delicious. You need to tell me where you get this from, I’m honestly going to live off this now.”

“I won’t tell you, though,” Zayn grins, “so whenever you’d want to eat it, you’d have to come over and we can go out together.”

“Think you’re clever, Z?” Liam asks.

“Quite clever,” Zayn smirks.

Liam hums, “is this a date, Zayn?”

“I-” Zayn sits up a little straighter, away from the sofa he was using as a back rest because Liam’s voice gives no emotions away, and that is quite unusual for Liam. “Um, Li. I -, I’d like it to be but I know you have a girlfriend and I am so sorry I kissed you that one time but I didn’t know then and I’ve honestly felt so incredibly bad about it.”

“You’ve felt incredibly bad about kissing me?” Liam interrupts, hurt quite evident in his voice.

Zayn wants to slap himself, why is he saying the wrong thing, “Yeah, because you have a girlfriend. And if you didn’t I’d kiss you all the time. I’d never stop, actually.”

“Then kiss me, because I don’t have a girlfriend. I don’t know where you got that idea from,” Liam murmurs.

“You don’t have a girlfriend, are you sure?” Zayn questions, one last time, as he moves forward – his fingers are greasy, and oily, and they smell of chicken. “I am going to kiss you, but then I’m going to go wash my hands so I can kiss you all night.”

“So am I staying the night?” Liam questions.

“Even if I have to tie you to the bed myself, Liam James Payne,” Zayn replies as he closes the gap between them. It’s a messy kiss – their teeth clash, and their lips aren’t exactly _molded as if they were meant for each other_ and there is too much tongue, but the need that leaves Liam and comes to Zayn is all that Zayn needs for this to be the best kiss ever.

When they pull back, Liam’s eyes are sparkling and _you’re not a Disney prince, Liam, your eyes aren’t supposed to sparkle_ runs through Zayn’s mind as he gets off the floor. “Come on, Liam,” Zayn says as he offers his hands, “let’s go make this the best night of your life, yeah?”

Liam laughs as he grabs Zayn’s hands, “aren’t you cocky, Zayn Malik?”

“Speaking from experience, babe,” Zayn smirks, as he pulls Liam off the ground and in to him. Zayn looks at Liam, his pouty pink lips that Zayn is going to kiss so much that it’s going to swollen and red, his cute button nose, and his usually warm, brown eyes that are dazed with lust, and jealousy if Zayn is not wrong. “Are you jealous, Li?”

“No,” Zayn chuckles at the clear childlike denial in Liam’s voice. “Shut up.”

“You’re adorable,” Zayn says, fondly, as he presses a chaste kiss against Liam’s lips before he’s dragging him to the bathroom. “Let’s wash up, so we can get this started. It’s extremely difficult to control myself when you look like that, _Leeyum._ ”

“Look like what?” Liam questions, his eyebrows furrowed.

“Like you’re waiting to be fucked in to my mattress.”

“Oh,” colour rises in Liam’s cheeks, “I’ve sort of been waiting for weeks, so yeah, gonna be a little impatient now.”

“Good,” Zayn grins as he opens the bathroom door, leading Liam there. It’s weird, washing their hands before they have sex, but Zayn is not going to have his first time with Liam smelling of chicken.

As soon as he’s done, he moves away making space for Liam. He’s waited a bit too long, and he may be _cool and collected_ but he’s really not. Liam smiles at the mirror, a smile that’s meant for Zayn, while he washes his hands. Zayn unable to resist attaches his lips to the side of Liam’s neck. Liam’s breath hitches as Zayn nips at his neck, running a soothing tongue over, Zayn pulls back to see Liam’s eyes closed, the water tap shut as his think fingers grips the sink a little too tight. “Come on, babe,” Zayn says hotly in Liam’s ear, lightly tugging on his earlobe with his teeth as he pulls away.

Liam turns around, and Zayn is pressing him against the sink, his hands gripping Liam’s waist keeping him close to Zayn, before he’s pressing a kiss against Liam’s lips. It’s not as messy as before, but it’s more passionate, with Zayn’s tongue licking Liam’s lips, urging the younger boy to open his lips, to allow Zayn to lick in to his mouth. Liam lets out a small whimper, when Zayn pulls at his bottom lip while he breaks the kiss.

“I don’t want our first time to be in the bathroom, beautiful,” Zayn watches with pride as Liam reddens under the compliment, “let’s go to my room, yeah?”

Walking and kissing is not that easy as the movies make it seem, but he captures Liam’s lips in a kiss, and feels soft and sweet Liam go pliant as Zayn’s tongue licks his lips, urging the younger boy to open his mouth and allow Zayn to kiss him. Liam’s hands are on his waist, and his hands are cradling Liam’s cheeks, tracing the lines of his face. He takes his hands away from Liam’s face once they enter the room, and starts fumbling with the buttons on his jeans, trying to get them off and not break the kiss. He only manages to push them down till Liam’s thigh, before Liam’s extremely impatient hands are tugging at his shirt and smiling against Liam’s lips. Zayn raises his arms, so Liam can easily take it off.

“Need you so fucking bad,” Liam breathes when they’re apart, and Zayn is pushing Liam on to the bed with a _yeah, me too_. With an oomph, Liam falls, pulling Zayn on top of him with a look of utter bliss. They’re kissing, and Liam lets Zayn take control. Zayn is licking in to his mouth, a kiss ringing of affection and need and extreme lust. He swallows all the moans and the whimpers that Liam lets out, and then he’s pulling away.

He smirks when he hears Liam’s needy whine, “aren’t you needy, Liam,” Zayn chuckles and Liam just smiles up at Zayn quite innocently – a little too innocent for it to actually be innocent. He presses a small kiss to Liam’s jaw before he is moving down to take Liam’s jeans off. He leaves his boxers on, and with a teasing smirk on his face, he lowers himself to lightly nip the inside of Liam’s thigh, just under where the boxers end. He presses a kiss there when he hears Liam’s breath hitch, just a little. His teasing fingers ghost above the waist band of the brief, and Liam lets out a “ _Zayn, fuck, please_ ”, and Zayn is pulling his briefs away, letting his flushed cock be free against his stomach.

His lips ghost over Liam’s cock, and he’s honestly so tempted to take Liam in his mouth, especially with all the sounds he’s making. It’s when Liam lets out a raspy, breathy “Zayn” that Zayn moves forward, no hesitation in his movements as his lips encircle the top of Liam’s cock, and the moans that leave Liam are apparently all the encouragement that Zayn needs, as he moves further up the shaft.

“Zayn, oh fuck,” Liam whimpers, and Zayn hums around him before he is hollowing his cheeks, and sucking. “Zayn,” Liam exhales, and he is suddenly thrusting up in Zayn’s mouth, and Zayn just moves along with Liam’s thrust, not thinking twice. “Shit, sorry. Too much,” Liam lets out a raspy breath, and Zayn sucks a little harder, before he pulls off completely with a loud pop.

Zayn loves how Liam is vulnerable and naked to Zayn’s touch waist down, but waist up his t-shirt is restricting the touch, and so Zayn pushes the shirt up and presses a kiss above Liam’s belly button. He moves up, blanketing Liam’s comparatively bigger, more sculpted and beautifully toned body, with his own and he is biting his chest, and sucking it, listening to Liam’s moans and he runs a soothing tongue, before he is pressing a kiss above Liam’s birthmark on his neck. “Hey,” Zayn smiles down at Liam, he presses a kiss to Liam’s lips, and he rolls off Liam. “I’m going to go grab condoms and lube from the bathroom. Take your shirt off and be ready for me, yeah?”

Liam gives Zayn a blank look before he’s getting on his elbows, and staring at Zayn as he walks away from the bed, “why can’t you keep your lube and condoms in your nightstand like normal people,” Liam sighs. “You’ve left me hanging now.”

Zayn chuckles as he opens his cabinet, “don’t like random hookups,” he says as he rummages through his cabinet – and yes, of course it’s just his fucking luck that he doesn’t have lube and condoms while he has an incredibly fit guy on his bed, waiting for him. “Uh, Liam?”

“No, don’t tell me you don’t have condoms and lube, Zayn,” Liam deadpans as Zayn comes out of the bathroom, looking at Liam sheepishly.

“I’m so sorry,” Zayn blushes, “fuck, I wasn’t prepared. But, Louis probably has some. Just, I’ll go grab them from his room,” and Zayn is running out of his room and in to Louis’. He has a good sense of humor to realize how funny this situation is – he’s running around in his jeans, shirtless, while he has an incredibly fit, seemingly up for it, boy on his bed waiting for him. Awkwardly hilarious situations like this could only after all happen to him.

There is a packed box of condoms and lube staring at him from the top shelf in the bathroom, and he hurriedly grabs it before he leaves the room. He’s just about to enter his own room, when he hears Liam call out a “you better hurry, or else I’ll get myself off.” Zayn chuckles as he enters the room, closing the door behind him, to see Liam nestled against the pillows, his hand lazily stroking his cock. Liam grins at Zayn when they lock eyes. Zayn shuts the door behind him, locking it for good measure because he is friends with people that don’t know what personal space and privacy is. Then, he is moving across the room in two long strides.

“Hi,” Zayn says as he gets on the bed, throwing the condoms and lube next to him, before pushing Liam’s hand away, and wrapping his long fingers around Liam instead. Liam lets out whine at the back of his throat.

“Hey,” Liam replies, his voice raspy, a smile on his face.

“You’re beautiful.”

“Thanks,” Liam blushes, “but get me off will you.”

“Extremely needy, aren’t you,” Zayn chuckles as he removes his hand from Liam, and moves up Liam’s body.

“You’re literally the biggest tease ever, Zayn,” Liam whines as Zayn gets on top of Liam, and hums softly before he presses a kiss to the middle of his throat. “Stop teasing, get me off,” and Liam is pushing Zayn off him, and getting on top of him, straddling him.

“Up,” Liam demands, unbuttoning Zayn’s jeans and tugs at them. Chuckling at the eager hands on his jeans, Zayn moves his hips upwards and Liam pulls his jeans and boxers off in one go. “I want to ride you,” Liam says, his voice shy as he straddles Zayn.

“You sure, babe?” Zayn questions as he looks up at Liam who looks so willing and ready to please him. Zayn’s heart magnifies at the sight, “you look so beautiful, love,” he says as he rubs his fingers down Liam’s arm, the tip of his index finger lingering on the four blocky chevrons.

Liam nods as he moves above Zayn to grab the lube, “you want to tell me what to do, or do you want me to do it, or do you want to?”

“Whatever you’re comfortable with, love,” Zayn replies, and Liam smiles at him adoringly.

“Yours for the night,” Liam says before he’s bending down to capture Zayn’s lips in a soft kiss, a _maybe more_ lost in their mouths.

“Alright,” Zayn says, as he licks his lips, “I’ll tell you what to do, Li.” It feels like the right decision when Zayn sees Liam’s entire face light up – and his eyes crinkle, and his lips move up in a smile. He watches as Liam uncaps the lube, and squeezes some out on his hand, and looks at Zayn expectantly as he rubs them to warm them up.

“Touch yourself, love,” Zayn says, and leans as Liam lets out a needy whine when his finger touches his hole. “Go on, get yourself ready, babe.” Liam’s eyes shut against the intruding finger, opening only when Liam’s finger is knuckle deep inside of him. “Doing alright, are you?” Zayn questions.

“Ye- yeah, I am,” Liam mumbles, as he starts to move the finger inside of him, “need more, Z.”

Zayn smiles, “alright, add another.”

As Liam slips in the second finger, next to the first one, his appreciative moan escapes his lips, and “faster, yeah, once you’re ready” slips out of Zayn’s tongue.

“You look so wonderful, darling,” Zayn smiles, as he looks adoringly at Liam.

Liam hums, as thrusts himself with his fingers picking up the pace. Zayn smirks when his breathing hitches and he lets out a low moan: Liam’s fingers are brushing against his prostrate. “Add another, babe,” Zayn whispers and watches as Liam nods and adds another finger inside of him, and not long after Liam is moving against his fingers in an extremely obscenely way, letting _filthy_ moans escape his lips.

“You’re loud, babe, and you’re not even riding me yet,” Zayn smirks as Liam lets out another moan.

“Want to,” Liam exhales.

“Yeah, are you ready, babe?” Zayn asks, as he blindly feels around for the condoms.

“Think so,” Liam says, “I am.’

“Alright, okay,” Zayn rips open the condom wrapper, and pulls it out, “uh, babe? I need to put this on.” Liam nods as he removes his fingers from him, and grabs the condom from Zayn’s hands. Liam’s expert hands are reaching behind him, then, and pulling the condom over Zayn’s cock.

“Done,” Liam grins, as he moves a little to squirt some lube on Zayn.

“Done,” Zayn repeats; he is in awe of how childlike Liam just sounded like. They’re in the middle of having sex, and Liam sounds so innocent it’s really fucking with his brain.

“Zayn, fuck, please,” Liam whines, and Zayn leans up on his elbows to press a kiss against Liam’s lips. The movement traps their cocks in between their stomachs, and Liam lets out a soft moan at the friction. “ _Liam._ ”

“Need you,” Liam says, petulantly.

“Me too, babe, me too,” Zayn replies, “do you need more prep?” his fingers dance against Liam’s chest, and when Liam shakes his head, Zayn lifts him up and moves him so he is above his cock, the head lightly touching Liam, a feel that Liam whines at.

Then, Zayn lets Liam take control. It’s their first time together, and they aren’t in the know of each other’s bodies, and Zayn doesn’t want to ruin this perfect night but hurting Liam. So, Liam steadies himself over Zayn, with Zayn running his hands comfortingly up and down Liam’s arms. Liam hisses, his eyes pressed shut, when the tip of Zayn’s cock is enters the tight ring of muscle, and Zayn rubs a comforting circle as Liam continues to move down on Zayn, hissing and moaning as Zayn enters him. It’s only when he’s seated, his ass against Zayn’s hip, does he open his eyes again. Liam is taking short and labored breaths, while Zayn is trying not to move under him, but the tightness and the clenching and unclenching is making it all the more difficult. But he stays still for Liam needs time to adjust to Zayn’s cock inside of him.

“Zayn, need – fuck, please,” and Zayn nods at Liam’s pleas.

“Babe, ride me. Come on, love,” is all the encouragement that Liam needs before starts moving on top of Zayn. Zayn watches him, as he rides Zayn with his hair stuck to his forehead with sweat, and his eyes wide and glossed. Zayn moves his hands from Liam’s arms to his waist. “You look amazing, darling. A bloody natural, aren’t you, love,” Zayn says, as he watches Liam bounce on top of him. It’s a breathtaking sight.

It takes Liam some time to find a rhythm and a pace he’s comfortable with, and Zayn lets him be in charge until he does so. It’s only when Liam has steady movements that Zayn moves Liam, twists his hips, until he finds _that_ spot. It’s a loud cry of _Zayn_ , one which Liam chokes on the end with his lip tucked under his teeth, and Zayn realizes he’s found it. He leans forward, to attach his lips to the middle of Liam’s collarbone and sucks on it to leave a dark mark. If Liam is his for the night, as much as Zayn is his, then Zayn is going to mark him so when Liam looks in to the mirror for nights to come, he can see the reminder of them.

Liam lets out a low whine as he slows his pace, grinding against Zayn’s cock, and pushing deeper so that Zayn’s cock is pressing against Liam’s prostrate. “Want you to come, Z,” Liam’s words are slurred, and soft, and breathless.

“I will,” Zayn smiles up at him, “but, you first. I want you to come, without me touching you. Can you do that, love?”

Liam hums, as he picks up pace. His is head thrown back, his neck column goes taut, and the non-coherent words spill out of Liam instead when he starts fucking himself so that Zayn’s cock hits hit prostrate every time. And, Zayn thinks to himself when Liam clenches tight around his dick, that Liam’s done this before. Maybe to himself – fucked himself on a dildo hitting his prostrate to make himself come untouched. When Liam comes, spilling himself over Zayn’s chest, it’s with a loud moan of _Zayn_.

It’s that, his name spilling out of Liam so, and the way his hole clenched around his dick, and the way Liam looks at Zayn at the moment he opens his eyes following his release, that makes Zayn come with a cry of Liam, inside of Liam. He opens his eyes to Liam, staring at Zayn dopily, and lovingly, and Zayn feels extremely lucky. Exhausted, Liam rests against Zayn’s chest with Liam’s come drying on him and his cock still inside of Liam. Zayn can feel the smile on Liam’s lips against his collarbone.

And then, Liam is giggling.

“Why are you giggling,” Zayn asks, as he looks down on Liam – actually, Liam’s head of brown hair.

“There is come on your chest, Z, my come. I’m on your chest,” Liam giggles, and the fondness in Zayn takes over as he smiles.

“Yeah, your come,” Zayn replies. “Let me clean you up, darling.”

“I’m comfortable, though,” Liam says, and it sounds like he’s pouting.

“You sure?”

Liam hums, “want to lay here, with you. I want to be with you.”

“You’re clingy after sex, anyone tell you that?” Zayn chuckles as he trails his finger down Liam’s back, tracing nothings in his skin, till he reaches the curve of Liam’s ass, and he’s coming back up just to repeat himself.

“Just with you, Zayn,” Liam mumbles, and it’s soft and Zayn would almost miss it if it weren’t for the fact that he couldn’t miss anything when it comes to Liam – not the dip in his back, or the red in his lips when he’s bit them for too long, or arch of the eyebrows when he’s nervous.

“You’re perfect, Liam, absolutely perfect,” Zayn whispers.

“Glad you liked the sex,” Liam chuckles, and it doesn’t sound like a very happy chuckle to Zayn. It makes Zayn wish he could see Liam’s face.

“Not just the sex, babe. You, Liam Payne, are just perfect in every way. I could see myself falling in love with you,” Zayn says.

“Me too.”

“Good, you should always love yourself, Li.”

“I could see myself falling in love with you, Zayn,” Liam says, as he gets up, wincing at the shift.

“Yeah?” Zayn asks as he helps Liam get off him, and watches him lay down on the bed next to him.

“My bum hurts,” Liam pouts as he tries to make himself comfortable, and Zayn laughs.

“Good hurt, or bad hurt, though?”

“Good,” Liam sighs, contently.

Zayn pushes himself up, pressing a kiss to Liam’s temple, “alright, babe. I’m going to go get a cloth to clean you with, love.” He rolls off the bed, and walks to the bathroom. With a glance over the shoulder he sees Liam smile to himself as he nestles in to the pillows. He takes the condom off, and throws it in the bin before grabbing a towel from the hangar, and wets it to clean himself off first. He holds the cloth under the tap again, to wet it for Liam.

He walks to Liam, and gently cleans him. First, he wipes the sweat of Liam’s forehead, and watches as Liam smiles against the cool of the wet cloth. Then, he wipes the come that is stuck to Liam’s chest. “You’re really caring, Z,” Liam sighs as Zayn runs the cloth over his whole body.

“I’m not, just want you to be comfortable, Li,” Zayn says, walking away from the bed, again, to throw his cloth in his hamper of dirty clothes. Just before he gets in to bed, he opens the door and calls for Loki – if Louis comes back early morning (or late night), and sees a strange dog, he might kick him out thinking it’s a stray that’s wandered in – who waddles in, walks to where Liam is on the bed, after sniffing around makes a spot for himself in the corner. He shuts the door, and locks it before he’s climbing into bed with Liam, under the sheets.

“Big spoon, or little spoon?” Liam asks, his voice warm against the shell of Zayn’s ear.

“What?” Zayn is aware how it is a question in reply of a question.

“I like to cuddle after sex,” Liam replies in explanation. “If you’re not, we have a problem.”

“Of course you do,” Zayn laughs, his voice ringing with fondness. “A caring guy like you probably loves being the big spoon,” Zayn takes it as a yes when Liam blushes, “alright, for you, little spoon.”

“I wouldn’t mind being the small spoon for you,” Liam says.

Zayn takes Liam’s hand and puts it over his waist, interlacing their fingers together, “Sleep, _Leeyum._ ”

Liam presses a kiss to the tattoo at the back of his neck, and Zayn listens as Liam’s breaths even out, before he closes his eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

If he was asked why he got the heart tattoo, he couldn’t answer it other than a mumbled “I was drunk, don’t remember”, but his reason is his love for his family. He got it done a couple of weeks after he moved up to London, the yearning for his mum’s comforting hands running through his hair, the deafening silence of the lack of comforting words and childhood stories that his father used to tell him and the need for the bickering of his sisters, took over him and ended up on the seat in his tattoo artist’s parlour and the needle inking his skin.

He wakes to a soft finger tracing his tattoo, and he smiles in to the comforting touch, and moves closer to the warm chest behind him with a content murmur. It’s a comforting silence, he finds himself in. His eyes flutter open, and he’s met with his hair in his face - he scrunched his nose, he really needs to cut it, it’s getting too out of control.

“Morning,” Liam says, as his hand moves away from Zayn’s hip and in front of his face, moving all the stray hair out of his face. “You’re the cutest sleeper ever.”

Zayn pouts, “not cute, I’m mysterious and broody,” his voice raspy and deep from sleep.

“‘Course you are. How’d you sleep?” Liam asks, presses a kiss to the shell of Zayn’s ears.

Zayn lets out a chuckle, “aren’t you the guest, shouldn’t I ask you that?”

“Yeah, you should,” Liam smiles, “but I woke up first.”

Zayn hums as he wraps his fingers around Liam’s wrist and pulls them around his torso. He can feel Liam’s pulse, and the beat of his heart, and it makes all this so intimate. “How long have you been up for,” his voice is soft when he questions Liam, his fingers ghosting over Liam’s knuckles.

“Not long, ten minutes, I guess. Watched you sleep, it was adorable,” Liam grins, and Zayn’s heart flutters at how his grin is fond.

“It’s creepy, watching someone sleep, _Leeyum_ ,” Zayn whispers.

“Not when it’s you and I, Zayn,” and it sounds like Liam wants to say something, that he wants to ask a question, a question that he doesn’t think he has the right to. Zayn just wants to live in the moment, and he links their fingers together, clutching them like his life depends on it.

It does.

“Zayn, I don’t want you think that I expect something from you, now,” it feels like an eternity later, it feels like, when Liam’s soft voice cuts through the silence. It’s a heavy sort of a silence this time, though. It lingers above them, taunting Zayn because once it breaks, it’s going to break this - whatever this is. “Because you’re you and I’m me and you don’t have to be with me, but I’d like for us to be friends. You’re too important to just be someone I get to be with for one night.”

“Liam,” Zayn starts, his eyes opening again, blinded the bright light of the sun pouring though the white curtains.

Liam pulls his hand away, and moves away from Zayn, “can I just stay here for today, though.” Zayn turns around to face Liam and almost instantly he wants to wipe that kicked puppy look off Liam’s face.

He reaches out to touch Liam, and Liam shuts his eyes to the gentle touch. “Will you let me speak,” Zayn sighs, and he can tell when Liam stiffens and Liam is worried for nothing. “You’re a worrier, aren’t you? You can have me for as long as you want me, Li. I’m not kicking you out, not out of the house or out of my life, yeah?”

“So,” Liam moves to his side so Zayn and him are face to face, “where does that leave us?”

“I don’t know, whatever you want us to be, Li,” Zayn smiles. “As long as I get to have you,” Liam scrunches up his nose when Zayn reaches out to poke it, and Zayn chuckles.

“I don’t do hook-ups, Zayn,” Liam says.

“Neither do I. You’re the only exception, Li.”

“Good. So?”

“Do you want me to ask you out?” Zayn chuckles.

“Well, it won’t hurt,” Liam grins.

“Alright,” Zayn says, thoughtfully, “Liam James Payne, you make me feel things that nobody has ever made me feel. And I’d be honoured to be your boyfriend,” Zayn smiles up at Liam, to see Liam silently laughing.

“You’re a dork. You’re the biggest, cheesiest most romantic dork I’ve ever met in my life,” Liam huffs out in between laughs.

“Hey,” Zayn pouts, “you told me to do that.” 

“That I did,” Liam laughs, as he moves a little closer, their foreheads touching, “yes, I’ll be your boyfriend, Zayn Javadd Malik.”

“Good,” Zayn says, as Liam clashes his lips against Zayn’s. It’s a little messy with too much teeth, before they settle into a soft, passionate kiss, with Liam’s hands snaking to Zayn’s back cupping his butt.

Zayn honestly feels like they could kiss forever, and he would have continued kissing him, if it weren’t for his phone ringing somewhere outside his room. He lets out a disappointing whine when Liam pulls back, because he wouldn’t mind letting his call go to voicemail to make out with Liam, but Liam is moving away and he has no choice but to get off the bed and go outside his room.

Liam let’s out an appreciative sound, though, when Zayn starts walking away from the bed, his naked arse on full show. Zayn smirks to himself, at least both of them are just as attracted to each other as the other is.

He isn’t sure if Louis is home yet, and he isn’t taking any chances walking out of his room naked. Louis already has a lot of ammunition on him, Zayn isn’t giving him a “remember the time you walked out of your room naked after you and Liam fucked like monkeys” speech for his best man’s speech - and what? best man’s speech, Zayn snorts to himself as he puts his boxers on and exits the room.

His phone is on the table in the lounge, and when he glances at the screen, his heart sinks to the bottom of his stomach when he sees a 'Prof Holborn’ staring up at him. If his portfolio had been accepted and graded, all his professor would have to do is post it on his student portal. It’s only if his portfolio has been rejected that his professor would call, to explain why and if he can resubmit a twenty page portfolio that is completely different than the one submitted before.

“Hello,” Zayn says, his voice barely stable. He knows what the call will end with; him locking himself up in the bathroom and crying, and he honestly hates that Liam will get to see that. Perfect and wonderful Liam will see Zayn at his most vulnerable and it’s too soon in their relationship - even as friends - for Liam to see that.

“Zayn, morning. I hope I didn’t disturb you,” Professor Holborn sounds too cherry to be the messenger of such bad news - and well, Zayn thinks maliciously, it’s not like the news would affect him in anyway.

“No, sir. How can I help you?”

“I have a friend who owns a small gallery, up town, and she saw your portfolio,” Holborn’s voice picks up pace, and he almost sounds excited. “She wants to feature you in her NewGenArtists spot from next month, Mr Malik.

Zayn let’s out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, “wait, what?”

He has heard of the NewGenArtists. It’s something that a couple of gallery owners started, to give that small push to the new and talented artists. He’s heard of how difficult it is, how people try for months and years to get a spot in the smallest of the galleries. And, he’s just being handed this.

“You’re going to be one of the ten next NewGenArtists, Mr Malik, and I don’t know anyone else who is as deserving as you,” Holborn sounds like he is smiling, and Zayn is still in shock.

“Wait, so my portfolio got accepted?” Zayn asks.

“Yes, I gave you an A, Zayn. It was wonderful. Kamila, my friend, just wanted to get the papers ready before I told you. You’re graduating as a NewGenArtist, Zayn. You should be extremely proud of yourself. I have to go now, but do come to my office in the following week; I need you to sign the papers so I can give your portfolio to Kamila,” with that, Holborn is hanging up on Zayn who is still tying to process what just happened to him.

He graduated.

He is also being featured in a gallery for a whole year.

A proud, happy smile takes over his face as he drops his phone on the sofa and rushes to his bedroom where Liam is. He finds Liam sitting up with his eyes closed, his back against the headrest, sheets pooled around his waist covering him waist down, and a sleepy Loki curled around him on the bed.

“You are extremely lucky for me,” Zayn exclaims as he shuts the door behind him, and - he prides himself in the fact that he doesn’t jump on the bed like an over excited ten year old - he gets on the bed, moving Loki from his sleep who wakes up, gives Zayn a disgusted look and walks off the bed.

“Thanks?” Liam says, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion, looking at Zayn. “What did I do?”

“I graduated, Leeyum. Not only that I’m a NewGenArtist!” Zayn exhales in one long breath, his eyes sparkling.

“That’s fantastic, babe. I’m so proud of you,” Liam grins, as he pushes Zayn on his back so he can straddle him with ease, and starts peppering him with soft kisses.

“You don’t know what NewGen is, do you?” Zayn chuckles. 

“Nope,” Liam says, popping the 'p’, as he moves down from the face and down to Zayn’s chest. “But give me a couple of minutes after I’m done kissing you, I’ll research about it, and be even prouder of you.”

Zayn laughs, and Liam pulls away and rolls on to the bed. “You should always laugh, it suits you,” Liam smiles.

Zayn just looks at the warm eyes, and the sunny smile, and thinks if he has Liam by his side he probably will never stop laughing.

 

 

 

Liam had stayed in Zayn's bed, naked because Zayn wasn't allowing him to get up and change into clothes. It's incredibly lucky that Zayn has a bathroom attached to his bedroom, because otherwise Louis would have gotten quite a bit of an eyeful. They had talked about things, had a celebratory round of sex for Zayn, and just cuddles in bed before Liam realised he had a dog to feed, and a pet shop to open up, and he should probably go home. So he had slipped out of the house, stealing a kiss from a boxer-clad Zayn, a very excited Loki leading him out. 

Just as he's closing his door, Mrs Fendle, the old lady across the hall opens her door and gawks at the almost naked Zayn in the doorway. Zayn blushes a deep red before he's shutting the door hurriedly.  

 

As he turns around, extremely mortified, he sees a sleepy Louis coming out of his room. His hair is all over the place, and he's sleepily rubbing his eyes, and his movements are slow and lazy - with experience, Zayn can say that he wasn't at a club last night. 

"Morning, Lou," Zayn says, as he plops himself on the sofa, and doesn't look at Louis who slowly opens his eyes, adjusting to the bright light in the apartment. 

"Wear some pants, you exhibitionist," Louis mumbles, obviously awake enough to be snarky, but sleepy enough that he stubs his toe against the sofa and the only thing that's stopping Zayn from chuckling at Louis is the fact that Louis has been in a bitter mood for a couple of months. Louis is good at a lot of things, but being heartbroken isn't one of them. 

"Yeah, says the one who is also not wearing any pants," Zayn dead pans as Louis drops himself on the sofa next to Zayn, and rests his feet on the table in front of them. 

"Wait a second," Louis says, his eyes wide as he notices the dishes that are still on the table - two plates, two glasses, "you're awake before noon on a Saturday, there are dishes for two on the table, and you're in your boxers." He turns to Zayn with accusing eyes, and his eyebrows arched, "you hooked up with someone last night," he calculates, and Zayn drops his head. He's not ashamed of Liam, not at all, and he isn't a prude. But, Louis is persistent, and pokes his nose in things that aren't his business. Also, he's quite curious when it comes to Zayn, and Zayn isn't in the mood to deal with Louis. 

"Or," Zayn starts, "I got a call from Holborn that woke me up." 

"Holborn? Why would he call you," Louis says, as he looks ahead at the television screen before he turns to Zayn as it hits him, "shit, Zayn, I'm so sorry." 

Zayn laughs, and "Jesus, you must be really upset," Louis says and it makes Zayn laugh harder. 

"He loved it. He loved my portfolio. I got an A. Also, I'm a NewGenArtist, Louis, a fucking NewGenArtist," Louis is looking at Zayn with wide eyes, but this time they are glistening with pride and happiness. 

"Oh," he says in a high voice, before he's jumping off the sofa, "you did it, Z. You made it," he's exclaiming, "I'm so happy for you. Oh my God, my little boy from Bradford made it. Shit, Zayn.  I'm so, so, so proud of you, babe," Louis leans down to press a kiss to Zayn's forehead. 

Zayn grins, and Louis sits on the sofa shoulder to shoulder before he throws his arm around Zayn and squeezes his shoulders before pulling him in a side hug. 

"What did Trish and Yaser say? I bet they couldn't stop being excited for their sunshine," Louis chuckles. 

"Haven't told them, messaged Baba the details for graduation, gonna surprise them," Zayn smiles, "want to see them be happy, you know." 

"'Course I know. You would do anything for your parents to be happy, won't you, Zaynie?" Louis smiles, and he is looking at Zayn with a fond look, before he moves his arm from Zayn's shoulder. 

"El and you, too, you know that." 

"Yeah, I do. You're great, sometimes," Louis throws a mischievous grin at Zayn, before "was El over last night?" 

"Nah," Zayn says. 

"Then, what's up with the dinner for two?" Louis questions. 

"I might have had a spontaneous date," Zayn answers. 

"With?"

"Liam." 

"Your Liam that is my Liam, too, or another Liam?" Louis asks and Zayn replies with a pointed look. "Oh. Look at you, Zayn," Louis winks. 

"Shut up," Zayn laughs. 

"No, wait, how was it?" 

"A gentleman will never kiss and tell," Zayn replies. 

"Good thing, you're not a gentleman," Louis smirks, "now, tell me how was it." 

"You're such a gossip," Zayn states, blankly, looking at Louis as if this is a new revelation. 

"You've been pining away after Liam for weeks, I just want to know was it sexual tension or -" 

"We kind of made us an official thing? I have a boyfriend. Liam's my boyfriend." 

"Congratulations, Zee," Louis laughs. 

"You're saying it like its a big accomplishment," well it is, because Liam is probably the best person to have in one's life, and to have him on an intimate level is a phenomenal feeling. 

"Yeah, but like I mean, you haven't done a relationship since her; and I'm just happy for you. You're a NewGen, Z, and you're graduating one of the toughest courses, and you have a boyfriend who is probably one of the most loving and kind people I've met, and you, yourself, are a person so amazing and if you weren't my best friend, I'd be extremely envious of you."

Zayn blushes, "shut it." 

"Look at you," Louis chuckles as he reaches out to pat Zayn's head. 

A silence follows but Zayn can feel Louis looking at him from the corner of his eye; but he's not gonna push Louis to talk. If there is something Zayn has learnt in a decade worth of their friendship, Louis doesn't like to be pushed to talk - rather much like Zayn. If he wants to talk, he will. If he gets pushed, it's not a pretty sight. 

It feels hours later when Louis finally speaks up, his voice small, "how's Eleanor, Z?" 

"She's alright, Lou, worried about you," Zayn replies, he had a feeling that this was going to be about Eleanor. He's currently playing the middle man, and he's honestly okay with it. He adores Louis and Eleanor, and they've been together for five years, there has got to be some lingering feelings for each other. And the way they both seem to ignore topics of other prospective partners in their lives, Zayn is a hundred percent sure that they still are in love with each other. 

Louis doesn't let go of things he loves dear that easily, and Eleanor is a fighter for people she loves; Zayn wouldn't be surprised if they ended up being back together. He hopes that they do. Louis and Eleanor were perfect for each other in ways that they both needed. 

"She doesn't need to worry about me," Louis scoffs, and then goes quiet again. 

"Louis, stop being so immature. She loves you. Just because you're not together, it doesn't mean that she doesn't love you anymore. It's very hard to stop loving somebody you were once in love with, Louis." 

"Are you speaking from experience?" Louis snorts.

"Take that stick out of your ass, Louis," Zayn replies. Louis is a very exhausting individual at times. "My relationship with her was messy, I felt suffocated but I did love her. You know that? Yes, I was an ass, but I did try to make amends." 

"You cheated on her, multiple times, Zayn."

"I know," Zayn hangs his head in shame. His past, his relationship with her, is not something he's too proud of.

"And you call that being in love. Maybe you should fix your relationship drama, before you attempt to fix mine." 

"Louis." 

"No. Stop trying to change my relationship or solve them or whatever is it you think you're doing, and focus on yours." 

"God. You have issues, Tomlinson. You deflect, and you throw a fit every time some else is right and you're wrong. Go back to getting drunk and being high all day, at least you're bearable then," Zayn gets off the sofa, and starts walking towards his room. "While you're at that, get yourself a life so you can stop making bitchy comments about mine."

 

 

Zayn falls face down on to his bed. Louis and him never fight, almost never. They're both extremely stubborn, and set in their ways. They're both very temperamental; except it takes a lot to make Zayn mad and very little to make Louis mad. However one of them will be apologising, soon enough. They're both so dependant on each other, they can't actually do anything without the other. Years worth of friendship would do that to you. 

But, Zayn has this sudden itch to have Tiger with him, at home. He's been thinking about it, adopting Tiger from Liam, ever since Liam told him that nobody wants Tiger; "he's such a feisty cat, Zayn. he's only good for you." 

 

 

He grabs his phone as he turns to lay down on his back, and unlocks his phone. He already has one text from Liam: _work is boring without you :( I feel bad wishing you'd come because you only come when you're sad and I don't want you to be sad but I want you here_

Zayn chuckles as he types out a reply; _i have another reason to come now don't i? You? I can bring some lunch over if you want?_

A couple of seconds go by before his phone buzzes again; _day one of being boyfriends and you're already bringing me lunch? you're so good to me, z_   

_only because you were so good last night_

_I knew it you only liked me for the sex_

_nah I like you for a lot of things, li_

_good because I like you for a lot of things too_

Zayn smiles, and he's just about to roll out of bed and go take a bath when Louis is tumbling in with an apologetic look on his face. 

"Z?" 

"Yeah?" 

"I didn't meant that," Louis says, "what I said about you and her. I was just really frustrated, and I took it out on you." 

"I know, Lou," Zayn smiles as he moves a little on his bed to make space for Louis, "come here," and Louis is getting on to the bed, moving close to Zayn. 

"I, just like, I still want to be with Eleanor but she looks so happy without me and maybe I shouldn't want it back so bad but I want to be with her. But maybe we should just move on, I should. She obviously has." 

"You both still haven't told me what happened, but, she isn't over you, Lou. She is just trying to give you space," Zayn says, his voice soft and comforting and Louis closes his eyes. 

"She's probably just saying that to you, since you're her best mate and all, and you're mine too. She doesn't want to put you in an awkward situation, Zayn," Louis mumbles. 

"Yeah but you're forgetting she doesn't lie to me," Zayn replies. "Just, clean up your act, and after graduation try and work it out." 

"Yeah, maybe," Louis goes quiet again, "you must hate me so much I have been so frustrating recently." 

"Can't hate you, Lou. We're brothers," Zayn chuckles. "And if you don't want to see me naked, I say get out, so I can take a shower." 

"Wait. Have you changed the sheets?" a disgusted look takes over Louis' face and he's jumping out of the bed. 

"Yeah, I did. In the morning, before Liam left." 

"Good. I didn't want your come anywhere near me," Louis says. 

"You'd be so lucky, Louis. Get out, I have a lunch date with Liam," Zayn laughs as he gets off the bed, "hey, wait. What do you think about a kitten?" 

"Are you getting a kitten?" Louis asks. 

"Yeah, I am," Zayn replies with a proud smile on his face. "He is this cute little thing at Liam's pet shop, but nobody wants him. Also, I'm quite attached to him." 

"Are you attached to Liam or the cat?" Louis laughs and Zayn throws a pillow at him. 

"Both, but I want to adopt the cat," Zayn replies. 

"Adopting Liam could cause some problems for your romance," Louis says, and Zayn is astounded at just how serious he sounds. 

"Do you sometimes listen to yourself talk, Louis?" Zayn chuckles, "you sound like a right lunatic." 

"Aren't we all mad here, though?" Louis arches his eyebrows. "I'm cool with the cat, though, you can bring him home if you want to. He's not allowed in my room though."

"Alright, thanks Lou," Zayn smiles, his tongue peeking out just a bit. 

"Don't mention it. Actually, do mention it. I love it when people thank me." 

Zayn laughs, "get your huge ass out of my room." 

"At least it isn't flat," Louis smirks as he leaves the room and shuts the door behind him leaving Zayn to fondly shake his head. 

 

 

 

 

When Zayn enters Liam's shop a couple of hours later, he has a box of pizza and some drinks in his hands. It's a chicken pizza; probably the safest choice, since Zayn doesn't really know much about Liam's likes and dislikes yet. Looking back, he should have probably asked Liam what he wanted to eat instead of just dropping by. And, sweet Liam would probably eat raw food to avoid hurting someone's feelings. 

"Anybody home?" He calls out when he enters the building, and finds the front desk empty. Licking his lips, he places the food under the counter top, and walks to the back of the shop where all the animals are, and also Liam from what he can tell with the soft murmur of voices. 

When he walks in to the back, he sees Liam with a little girl who’s holding a chocolate brown Labrador in her hands while Liam is telling her about him, and how to look after him. Her father, Zayn assumes, watches the girl hug on to the lab and watch Liam with wide eyes with full concentration. Zayn gives them a small smile when they glance up at him, and heads over to the kittens. He searches for his Tiger, and his lift in a smile when he finds Tiger in his spot, in the corner. Such a prince, Zayn thinks to himself as he leans down to pick the little guy up.

“Hey buddy,” Zayn whispers as he cradles Tiger as if it were a baby; which to be real, to Zayn he is.

“Have you missed me?”

Tiger whimpers against his chest, and Zayn smiles, “I’ll take that as a yes.”

Zayn holds Tiger against his chest, feels the cat snuggle and purr as he watches Liam with the girl and the puppy.

“He’s a well-behaved pup, sir. You will enjoy having him at home with you,” Liam says, as he pets the puppy.

“Do you like him, Cara?”

“I love him, Dad. I love him!”

“We’ll take him, then,” the father smiles at Liam. Zayn watches Liam grin as he hands them a leash and collar and pet the puppy.

“If you ever need anything else, sir, I’m always here for help,” Liam says, smiling softly at the girl – who’s eyes are shining with love for the playful puppy in her arms. “A first pet can be quite hard to look after, Cara, so you have to be very, very careful, okay?”

“I will! I will look after him like he’s a baby!” she turns to her father, from where Zayn is standing he can’t see her face but he assumes its nothing short of sparkling eyes, “he’s my baby, isn’t he?”

“Of course he is,” her father replies with a chuckle. “Thank you, Liam.”

“No problem, Sir, I hope you enjoy having a puppy,” Liam grins up at him, as he reaches forward to rub the dog’s head.

“Thank you!” the girl exclaims as she puts the dog down, listens to Liam as he puts on the collar and the leash, grips the leash tightly, and leads him out under her father’s careful gaze.

Liam glances at Zayn, who shares a small smile with him continuing to pet a purring Tiger. “I see you got pizza.”

“Yeah, it’s actually chicken. I hope you don’t mind that,” Zayn replies, sheepishly, “I didn’t know what you would like.”

“I love chicken, Z. Don’t worry about that,” Liam grins, “Go on up, Zayn. Take Tiger up with you, I’ll be right up after I close the door.”

“Should I take something?”

“Nah, don’t worry about it. I’ll bring it up.”

Zayn nods, and without even thinking about it presses his lips to Liam’s cheeks – he can do that, after all they _are_ dating, officially – before he turns around and goes through the door to the stairs. When he pushes open the door at the top of the stairs, a very excited Loki is jumping on him which makes Zayn laugh.

“Hello, Loki. Do you remember me?” Zayn says as he shifts Tiger in his arms – something the feline doesn’t agree with, if his sour expression is anything to go by – to pet the husky. He’s always wanted to add a husky to his pitbull and his bearded dragon – which his mother and sisters do not appreciate, so his father looks after the lizard, much to Zayn’s amusement because his father talks to Arnie like he is one of his own kids. Once Zayn had proposed that he could take it back to the shop where he got him from when he was leaving for university and his father had replied in a very stern voice _no, Arnie is family. We don’t give family away._ So Arnie still lives with Yaser Malik on his desk in the study room.

Loki licks Zayn’s hand, and Tiger lets out a low protective purr, which makes Zayn chuckle. “Come on, Loki,” Zayn says as he shuts the door behind him, and walks towards the living room. He’s been over at Liam’s twice – once was the first time he ended up staying the night, and the second was after the movie that Liam and him went to watch – and yet, he feels so at home as he sits on the sofa. He tucks his legs under him, and settles Tiger on to the sofa, before relaxing against the backrest. He watches Loki jumps on to the sofa, next to him, tucking himself under Zayn’s hand and relaxing in to his touch as Zayn stroked his fur. He feels so domesticated, with his animals. They’re not his, he knows that, but they very well might be.

 

He wakes up to somebody running their fingers through his hair, and he scrunches his eyes shut before he opens them to find Liam next to him on the sofa, and he’s staring at Zayn fondly as he continues to thread his fingers in Zayn’s hair. It feels nice too, which is a surprise because Zayn isn’t really fond of letting people touch his hair. “What just happened?”

“Found you asleep when I came up,” Liam replies, “I got held up downstairs, so it took me like 30 minutes to come up. Guess you were really tired from last night, and you didn’t even do any of the work,” Liam chuckles.

“Oh, yeah, I can fall asleep anywhere anytime,” Zayn mumbles, as he rubs his eyes.

“You’re too cute,” Liam laughs. He pulls his hands away from Zayn’s hair, “don’t fall asleep on me now, please. I already heated the food and everything,”

It’s true, Zayn notices, Liam has set up the table and there is a candle there too in the middle of the living room table, a glass of coke and pizzas on plate. _Oh._ “You actually set up the whole table? You do realize that it’s just pizza, right?”

“Yeah, but one day it’s not going to pizza, and we’re going to be sitting at a five star hotel, and we need to practice for that,” Liam smiles so wide his eyes crinkle.

“And why will we be at a five star hotel,” Zayn asks, as he gets off the sofa and holds his hands out for Liam. Liam scrunches his nose as he grips it tight and supports himself to get up, only to give Zayn a chance to bring Liam in for a hug.

“I’d like to take you to this restaurant, sometime later. Maybe for your graduation dinner,” Liam says, his voice small and soft.

“Alright, sure but we split,” Zayn states as he presses his lips against Liam’s cheeks.

“Nope. But we will discuss that later, right now, food, please. I’m very, very hungry,” Liam lets out a low whine, pulling away from Zayn and leading him towards the table. There are two floor cushions, under the table for them to sit at, and Liam pulls one out and pushes Zayn on it. “What a gentleman,” Zayn chuckles and Liam shushes him with a kiss to his left temple, and then Liam is crossing his legs and sitting next to Zayn.

It’s wonderful to Zayn how comfortable he feels with Liam. He doesn’t do that, so soon and so easily. It takes time for Zayn to reach a comfort level with somebody, a level at which he can talk about everything and anything to somebody. But, there’s something about Liam, something warm and safe that lulls Zayn in sharing everything with Liam, to be _that_ comfortable with him. Zayn is a soft spoken guy, he hardly raises his voice in every day conversations, and when one has loud and boisterous friends like Louis and Danny, and very opinionated friends like Eleanor and Harry, it’s very easy for his voice to go unheard. He doesn’t mind, he knows they don’t do it purpose, and they do listen when his opinions are needed, and he knows that his thoughts are valued, but looking at Liam watching his wide brown eyes that are sparkling in interest is something that Zayn values, too.

Liam is what Zayn has always needed, but he never knew he wanted.

He feels oddly domesticated talk to Liam about his family and how if it were up to his mother the entire Malik family would be coming out for his graduation, about the Paynes and about Liam and about Liam’s studies. Somewhere in between the fourth and fifth slice of pizza, Loki and Tiger come out of the room and settle themselves in the gap between Liam and Zayn – Tiger moreso on Zayn’s lap than on the floor, and Loki’s head in Liam’s lap.

Somehow, it feels like a family. Liam, Loki, Tiger and him feel like a family to Zayn, oddly enough.

And when, Liam flashes a sunny smile at Zayn, Zayn thinks that he’s already in too deep.

 

 

 

 

Somehow in between small, spontaneous dates with Liam, taking out time for his parents and sisters, and accompanying Louis to the clubs, his two months pass by in a blur.

 

And, before he realizes it, graduation is a day away. He doesn’t know why but he feels like he’s losing control so he goes to the barber and gets him to shave off all of his hair. That’s the one thing he can have control over, one thing that can change.

 

He’s graduating, finally, and if his mother was left to her own devices, the whole of Malik family would be coming out to see their little _Zain_ graduate. But, not only is that not possible because of his university’s rules, Zayn had been very adamant about the fact that only five people could come up – his parent’s and any other three members of the family, and it was finally decided on his sisters. It was a tradeoff. If the family couldn’t come, Zayn would have to Skype with them while his parents were on the train, which is why, at six in the morning Zayn finds himself in front of his laptop, with his family on the other side – half of them don’t even fit in the screen, but they are all there, and they’re too loud for this hour.

“Zayn Bhai,” his cousin’s face pops in, “Dadi wants to talk to you,” he says as he picks up the laptop, getting disapproving looks from his other uncles and aunts and Zayn snorts at that.

“Mera beta,” his grandmother smiles at him, as soon as the laptop is set in front of her in her bed. Zayn can see his grandfather’s silhouette under the blankets. Zayn’s ability to fall asleep anywhere, through anything and love for sleeping is truly comes from his Dada.

“Salam, Dadi,” Zayn replies, a soft smile on his face. It always makes him feel like he’s back to being a young and innocent child every time his Dadi calls him  _‘my son’._ “How are you?” he asks in Urdu, and he watches his Dadi’s face light up at the familiar soft sounds. When he was growing up, he had never heard his Dadi or Dadi speak in English, and for a lot of his life he thought it was because they couldn’t. He was nine years old when he found out that his Dadi actually had a PhD in Literature and had a profound love for English – Zayn figures that’s where he gets his love of reading from - but, it was her love for her native language and the pride in the culture behind it that she spoke it.

“I’m alright. Your Dada is tiring,” she says, sparing a fond look at her sleeping husband, and Zayn smiles, “and I’m getting old, but I’m doing okay,  _mera beta._ How are you?”

“Nervous, excited, scared,” Zayn laughs, “It’s my graduation day, Dadi. Can you believe that?’

“I can, _mera beta._ I always knew you’d do wonderful things, Zayn. You are so bright, and intelligent, and there is nothing you can’t do if you set your mind to it. I have always, and will always, believe in you,” his Dadi says. “I wish you were here, I’d make you your favorite _kheer._ ” Zayn laughs, every time he had a big exam or something, he’d be so nervous and he wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. But his Dadi would make him kheer and bring it up to him and calm him down. Thinking about home, makes him miss the time when he was five years old and he’d spend the night over at his grandparent’s and they’d tuck him in the middle between them and tell him stories about their childhood; stories that he still remembers, stories he’d love to hear once more. 

“You look sad, Zayn,” his Dadi says just before he is about to hang up and leave to pick his parents up.

“I’m not, Dadi,” and his grandmother gives him a pointed look, “I’m just tired, I don’t know, I miss home.”

“Home is always here, for you. You can always come back home, and bring that Liam with you,” his Dadi chuckles. “You don’t have to stay away to give your parents what you want.”

“But –”

“I know, Zayn. But it’s not your job to worry and stress out about things, it’s your fathers. Leave that to him. God knows, he could use some stressing out in his life. He’s sixty five, and he doesn’t take life seriously,” his dadi shakes her head, “you’re so different from your father, my son.”

“Baba would be very happy to hear that,” Zayn chuckles.

“I know, your father is very immature. But I’m serious, Zayn. Come home for a bit, spend some time not doing anything and let your parents spoil you and fuss over you. And, bring that Liam of yours with you, I want to meet this boy of yours.”

“Will do, Dadi. Love you,” Zayn replies.

“Love you more,  _mera beta._ I’ll talk to you later. Take care of yourself, Zayn.”

“You too, Dadi. Tell Dada I said Salam.”

“I will make him call you once he wakes up,” his Dadi laughs. “Have fun, my love, it’s your big day.” Zayn nods in reply, and with an  _Allah Hafiz_ he’s logging off. He’s like ninety percent sure that Liam wouldn’t ever mind going back home and meeting his family, which he really wants, but what if Liam thinks they’re going too soon – which they definitely are, in two weeks they’ve spent almost every day together, they know each other inside out, and Zayn’s met the Payne’s already and tonight at graduation Liam will meet Zayn’s parents – wouldn’t it be too much to ask Liam to go to Bradford with him to meet his grandparents? It really would, at least not right now, not for a couple of months.

He could take Liam home for his grandparents’ anniversary, which is in six months – that is if they last that long. 

He unlocks his phone, and sends a quick text to Liam. _Are you nervous for today_ it reads, and locking his phone he tucks it in his pocket, grabs his wallet and Louis’ car keys from his desk and rushes out of the flat. With ten minutes to spare his parents’ arrival, he’s already very late.

 

 

 

 

When Zayn gets to the train station, the train from Bradford has three minutes before it arrives in London, and Zayn breathes a sigh of relief – if he had been late, his bratty little sister would have kicked off a storm; she wouldn’t have but she would have been cranky, she’s only eight after all. He finds himself a spot near the arrival gate and rests against the wall waiting for his family. He pulls his phone out, again, (according to Louis, when Liam and Zayn aren’t together they’re attached to their phones), and when he unlocks it, his conversation with Liam pops up. The last message, the one he sent before, has two blue checks against it but no reply. Zayn doesn’t think much of it, Liam probably saw it while he grabbed his phone sleepily, or after a run just before stepping in to the shower, and would reply soon enough.

Zayn is secure enough in his relation to not jump to any conclusions. 

He looks up away from his twitter feed when he hears the automated voice announcing that the train from Bradford has arrived. Breathing to himself – he has sisters, and sisters can be quite a handful, and no doubt his parents would fuss over him – he pushes his phone back in his pocket and gives them a whole of five minutes before he starts craning his neck impatiently looking for his parents.

Some ten minutes later he sees his youngest sister leading the way with Doniya tugging her hand and keeping her in place and stopping her from running off. He laughs to himself when he sees Doniya turn to Safaa and give her stern talking to – if her facial expression is anything to go by. He sees Waliyha, and she’s grown up quite a bit in the last year, and then his parents who are all proud smiles even though they do look tired.

He walks over to them, and before he can greet them, Safaa is screaming a  _Bhai_ and jumping at him. She might be eight, but Zayn’s steps still falter. “Saf,” Zayn chuckles as he presses a kiss to her forehead and holds her hand, tightening his grip as he gives a hug to Doniya and ruffles Waliyha’s hair when she refuses to give him a hug.

“How was your trip?” Zayn asks as he hugs his mother, tightening his grip around her when she hugs him because he’s missed her so much – weekly Skype sessions and videos that Waliyha sent him of his mother doing household chores weren’t enough to fill that void. His father is his best friend, no doubt about that, but he has always been and will always be a mama’s boy. His father is smiling at him from his mother’s side, and really, Zayn hasn’t felt this complete and whole in a very long time. “Come on, let’s take you home.”

He takes his mother’s bag from her, and holds Safaa’s hand quite tightly as he leads them out of the station, talking animatedly about his life in London and everything that he cannot wait to show his parents. The last time his parents were in London was when they were helping him move for university, and he was this scared eighteen year old moving hours away from his parents. Today, he’s a twenty two year old who is so in love with this city and all it has to offer him, and having his parents be a part of the life he’s created for himself here is exciting.

“What about your Liam,” his father interrupts, when Zayn mentions them meeting Louis and Eleanor, and Zayn grins at his mum through the rear view mirror.

“He’ll meet you tonight after graduation, at the dinner,” Zayn replies.

“I’m very excited to meet this Liam,” Yaser says.

“Oh hush, Yaser,” Trisha scolds, “don’t scare Zayn in to never introducing us to Liam.”

“Please, Bhai would introduce us to Liam even if it were the last thing he’d do. He’s like obsessed with him,” Waliyha snickers as she leans forward and gives Yaser a high five.

“Stop annoying your big brother, Wali” Trisha says.

“Mummy, Bhai was always your favorite.”

“I don’t have favorites, apple.”

“Wait till you meet Liam, Ma,” Zayn grins over his shoulder.

 

Liam isn’t home like they had planned when Zayn gets home with his parents but in between getting the suitcase up and getting his parents to settle in to his room, and his sisters in Louis’ – who had graciously accepted in staying with his family in the hotel saying that their two bedroom house was too small to cater to seven siblings and his mum and his stepdad – Zayn totally forgot about Liam coming to meet his parents. Liam’s been a nervous wreck about the big meet for days, and it took a lot of convincing on Zayn’s part that his parents would adore Liam even if he had two heads and no arms because _his_ Liam is just that perfect.

 

 

In between naps, and showers, and his mother’s delicious food, the Malik family ends up killing three hours and then it’s time to get ready for the ceremony. He’s in his room, his parents already dressed and waiting for him outside, pulling his suit on when he realizes that this is it. After three years of pain and stress, he’s finally graduated a course that he loves and that he’s passionate about. Come August he’s going to be working in a job he’s wanted since he was ten, and he’s also going to be a NewGenArtist. He’s staring at his reflection in the mirror, his hands around his tie, when his father walks in with a box in his hands. 

“Beta, can I talk to you?” his father says, holding the box out.

“Yeah, Baba.”

“Abu gave this to me on the first day of work, Dadajan gave it to him on his first day of work. It doesn’t work sometimes,” Yaser lets out a choked laugh, “but Dadajan gave it to Abu because he was proud of the man he became, Abu gave this to me because he thought the same. I’m giving it to you, because you are truly a son that has made his old man proud. You’ve done everything so you can look after your Mama and I.”

“Baba,” Zayn says, his voice soft.

“Did I ever tell you a story, when we found out you were a boy?” 

“I don’t think so.”

“Your Mama was so happy when we found out you were a boy. She always wanted a boy, and she was ecstatic. She was so happy, and it took her two seconds to name you.  _Zain, Yaser, we are going to name him Zain,_ she had said. I asked her why, and she said, because she just had a feeling that the relationship you and I were going to share was going to be beautiful,” Zayn has never seen his father cry, and yet there is a wet drop rolling down his cheeks, “and I almost crapped my pants. We already had Doniya, but she was a girl and Trisha is the most beautiful and kind woman I have ever known, so Doniya was under the wing of a great woman. And I was scared that I wasn’t going to be a good father to a son, yet when I first held you, son, to-date it’s my favorite moment. Something about having you in my arms made me feel like I was a better man. I hope I have made you proud to have a father like me, just as proud as I am off you, beta.”

His father doesn’t even get the chance to finish his sentence before Zayn is enveloping him in a hug, his tears wetting his dad’s crisp white shirt, but Zayn doesn’t think it matters.

“Your mother was right, Zayn. There is something truly beautiful in the man you are, and I’m so proud of you,” Yaser says as he pulls away, opening the box while Zayn wipes his tears away. “I hope one day you have a son that you’re as proud of as I am of you.”

“I love you, Baba.”

“I love you, my little prince.”

 

 

When his name is called, Zayn feels this surge of pride for himself and the gratitude for his parents. He glances around the stands, his eyes scanning for his family – they’re not hard to find, his parents are standing and clapping for him, cheering for him even though he can’t hear it. He knows that his mum is crying, and he is just glad that they’re happy tears. His sisters are next to them, clapping alongside his parents. Next to them is an empty spot that Zayn pretends to not notice.

 

 

 

 

They are at a restaurant that looks and sounds too pricey, and the only reason Zayn isn’t scolding his parents for spending too much is because his mum made him promise – _it’s your big day, we get to spoil you_ – they’re seated on a table for seven, and they all ignore the seventh empty seat. 

It’s in the middle of his soup when Zayn sees Liam’s familiar form standing in the door, getting wet in the rain, and his face breaks out in a grin. Of course, he was over thinking Liam not being here, Liam probably just got held up, Zayn thinks as he gets up with a soft “Liam’s here” to his parents. He sees them get excited, and turn around to glance at this infamous Liam, before Zayn sees Liam’s motions go rigid and then he’s pulling his hands off the door handle.

“I’ll be right back,” Zayn says, confused watching Liam taking small steps back, away from the door. He throws the napkin on to the table and rushes outside before Liam actually makes a run for it – something he thinks Liam is actually going to do.

Liam is still looking at him, though, with wide eyes and a guilty expression on his face, and Zayn has never been so confused in his life.

“Babe, wait,” Zayn says, as he opens the door and steps outside in the rain. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you coming in, Liam?”

Liam blinks at him twice, “I’m sorry, Z.”

“What are you talking about, Liam? What are you sorry about? Why aren’t you coming in?” Zayn asks.

“I’m sorry. I can’t do this. I have to go. Tell your parents I say hi,” and Liam is turning around to run the other way.

“What the fuck,” Zayn says to himself more than anything.

The walk back to his table is laden with confusion and humiliation, and his parents are looking at him with expectant eyes. They want to know what happened, but Zayn has no idea what’s wrong with Liam. Last night, everything was perfect. Today, nothing is perfect.

“I’m going to go home, Mama. I’ll see you at home,” Zayn replies, “I’ll call Louis up and ask him to pick you up because the walk is long. See you.”

He gets wet in his walk home, under the rain. But that feels so much better, relaxing even, than the heavy heart in his chest.

There is a constant thought in his mind: what the fuck happened with Liam.

When his parents come home they find him in his shorts and a t-shirt under his blankets on the sofa, the television switched off and his face nestled in the little space between the back rest on his sofa and the pillow. His mum just ruffles his hair and pats his shoulders before shoving the daughters in to their room and pulling Yaser in to theirs. Mum’s intuition, Zayn thinks, of course she knows what happened; exactly what happened. When does she not.

Today should have been the best day of his life, surrounded by his parents, and his sisters, and Liam. Two most important halves of his life, his family and his Liam, should have been by his side and yet, Liam wasn’t. Liam wasn’t there for a reason that Zayn doesn’t know, and that’s all he can think about.

He can feel his heart break.

 

 

 

They’re in the middle of an intense game of monopoly, Zayn and his sisters, while his mother is watching a football game – his father’s influence, no doubt – and his father is in the kitchen whipping up something for dinner when the bell rings. Zayn looks up at his mum with wide eyes, silently asking her to go check the door because his sisters are dirty players and he’s not sure as to how much they’ll mess the game up while he’s checking the door and entertaining whoever is on the other side. He’s winning, and he’d like to not that chance.

His mum chuckles and softly pats his cheek when she crosses him to go check the door muttering a “what would you do without me, Zayn.”

“Nothing, Ma. I wouldn’t even exist without you,” Zayn calls out, and his mother laughs.

“May I help you,” Trisha asks when she opens the door to find a boy in a white t-shirt and ripped blue jeans. “Are you a friend of Zayn’s?”

“Yes, Ma’am. I’m Liam,” he replies, and Trisha narrows her eyes at the boy. He looks nice enough, but he’s the reason her son has been upset for four days. “Can I meet him, please? I need to explain.”

“If he wants to meet you, sure,” Trisha says. “Stay right here,” she leaves the door slightly open as she returns to the living room.

“Who was it, Mama?” Zayn questions.

“Liam.”

“Oh.”

“He wants to meet you, says he wants to explain himself. Would you like him to?” Trisha says.

“Yeah, he owes me that much,” Zayn gets up, “don’t mess the game up. I’ll know,” he says pointedly to his siblings. The walk to the door seems far longer than he’s ever thought it to be, yet it feels like a thousand steps. The door is slightly ajar, and he can see a bit of Liam – his red trainers, the ones Zayn chose for him when they went out shopping together.

“Zayn,” Liam breathes, and his shoulders relax and Zayn has this need in his hands to caress his face – but he’s sure he doesn’t have that right anymore. “You’re actually letting me explain.”

“You owe me that much,” Zayn says in a clipped tone.

“Yeah, I know. Fuck. I’m so sorry, Zayn, Can you come down with me? I have something for you,” Liam says. “And I’ll explain myself on my way down.”

“Liam.”

“I know I’m asking a lot, but I need you to see what I’m going to tell you.”

“Alright, Liam,” Zayn says, and its more for himself – he needs closure, he needs to know why his seemingly perfect relationship isn’t perfect anymore.

“I love you, okay, and I love you so much it scares me, Zayn,” Liam starts when Zayn pulls the door to close it. “And I was thinking to myself what could I do to make your graduation memorable, because babe you deserve everything and I’m the owner of a pet shop, babe, I can’t give you everything I want to. Then I remembered how much you love Tiger, and how you wanted to adopt him, so I thought I’d gift him to you. It would be so special to you, right? So I’m on my way to your house, with Tiger in my car and his basket and some toys, and I’m thinking to myself Tiger has always unofficially been a part of you. Then I started thinking about us, you and I, and getting married, and having that house you’ve talked about. And kids, Z, fuck. I started imagining us with children, and playing in our backyard and I got scared. I’m not proud of it, but I got so scared. I’m so scarily dependant on you, babe, and I was going to meet your parents. I know how much you love them, and what if they didn’t like me? What if they made you choose between them and me, and I didn’t want you to choose me but I also didn’t want to lose you. What if you didn’t love me like I did you. I spent all day near your apartment, I watched you come back home – I felt like a right stalker, I tell you. I put on a nice suit and I drove to your ceremony as well, but I couldn’t get off. Then, I came by the restaurant, and I told myself that you loved me and I got off the car, came to the door, and saw you. I thought of what I could lose, and I ran. And I’m so sorry, Zayn.”

“Liam.”

“I am sorry, okay. You don’t have to forgive me, I just wanted you to know that it was me and not you. I brought Tiger for you. I think you’re amazing, Zayn and I’m sorry for fucking us up,” Liam says as he opens the door to his car door and picks a very excited Tiger off the backseat.

Zayn takes Tiger from Liam, cuddles him close to his chest before he turns to Liam. “You over think a lot, Liam. My parents would have loved you, they will love you, Li. You’re too amazing not to love. Why didn’t you just say something to me, babe. I wouldn’t have minded you know, instead of pushing me away you should have said something.”

“I was scared, Z. We’ve dating for three months, and what I feel for you, some people don’t feel for their partners of ten years. I was scared as fuck,” Liam replies, hunching his shoulders, making himself look smaller.

“I love you just as much, jaan.” Zayn says. “I’ve been in love with you for a very, very long time.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Stop apologizing, babe. Come, kiss me. I’ve missed you,” Zayn sighs as he puts Tiger back in Liam’s car so he can pull Liam in to a kiss – a kiss that shows him just how much he loves his Liam.

 

 

 

When they go back up with Tiger in Zayn’s arms and Liam linking his fingers with Zayn’s, Zayn feels complete. His parents are upstairs, no doubt ready to welcome Liam in to their family with open arms as long as he keeps Zayn happy; and once Zayn explains what Liam was thinking, his ever understanding parents would forgive him and give him clean slate.

Sure enough, his sisters tease Liam about Zayn, and his mother complains about how if they were in Bradford she’d pull out the baby pictures for Liam to see, and his dad is laughing at them from the side lines.

Once they’re all asleep and Zayn and Liam are on the floor – feeling like teenagers – staring at the ceiling, Zayn turns to Liam with the literal definition of heart eyes. “You know I have been trying to figure out what you make me feel like.”

“Did you figure it out?” Liam asks as he turns to face Zayn.

“Yeah, you made flowers grow in my lungs. It made something as simple as breathing beautiful.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you all liked it!!! you can tell me what you think in the form of comments, kudos or on [ tumblr](http://niazsmaliks.tumblr.com/)


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